1 passenger dead in bus crash; 38 hospitalized

LITCHFIELD, IL (AP) - Illinois State Police say the person who died in the crash of a double-decker Megabus was a female passenger, but they have not disclosed her name or her age.

Trooper Doug Francis says 38 people were taken to hospitals for injuries following the Thursday afternoon crash on Interstate 55 near Litchfield. Of those, 33 were taken by ambulance to nearby hospitals, two were flown by helicopter to St. Louis hospitals and three were flown by helicopter to a hospital in Springfield.

Francis says investigators are trying to confirm a report that the bus blew a tire. He says a strong thunderstorm has made crash reconstruction at the site difficult.

The highway reopened Thursday evening. Before that, traffic was backed up for eight miles in each direction.